Magnetic resonance imaging systems require the use of a superconducting magnet which must be kept at a very cold temperature to ensure superconducting conditions. A failure of the system supplying refrigeration to the superconducting magnet results in thermal cycling which is not only costly and potentially damaging but also compromises the integrity of the imagery produced by the magnetic resonance imaging system.
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a superconducting magnet system such as may be employed with a magnetic resonance imaging system which has greater refrigeration reliability than heretofore available systems.